Everything You Need to Know About Harry Potter and the Cursed Child

This month marks the beginning of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child previews. The first preview will be on June 6, 2016, in London’s West End. The show will officially open on July 30, 2016, with the book version releasing on July 31st, 2016, which is also the birthday of Harry Potter and his creator J.K. Rowling.

In the weeks leading up to previews, bits of information about the story have been released piece by piece. We at TNWU compiled all this information for easy digestion. Whether you’re a Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw, you’re sure to love what’s coming this year.

1) It is NOT a prequel.

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Harry, Ginny and Albus Severus Potter

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Ron, Hermione and Rose Granger-Weasley

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Draco and Scorpius Malfoy

Originally thought to be a prequel, Cursed Child will actually be the eighth installment in the Harry Potter series. It takes place 19 years after the events of Deathly Hallows and will focus on Harry and the gang as they raise families. With Harry Potter as his father, Albus has a legacy to live up to, that maybe he doesn’t want.

2) Harry works for the Ministry of Magic.

Though his actual job title hasn’t been confirmed, it has been announced that Harry, played by Jamie Parker, is now a Ministry man. In his youth, Harry wanted to be an auror, so perhaps he achieved his dream? In a 2014 piece on the Pottermore site, Rowling wrote that Harry did become an auror. As for Harry’s best friends, Ron runs a joke shop and Hermione became deputy head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. We hope this will all prove true in Cursed Child, but nothing has been officially announced.

3) Draco’s son may be a ladies man.

While the Malfoys have always been a bit evil, that doesn’t mean they struck out in love. Draco’s son Scorpius, played by Anthony Boyle, will likely be the same, according to J.K. Rowling. She said, “I’ve got a feeling Scorpius is going to do nothing to turn girls off the Malfoy men.”

4) Rose Granger-Weasley takes after her mom.

In Cursed Child, Rose will be more Granger than Weasley. Cherelle Skeete takes on the role and says, “Rose is ambitious, obviously her mum is Hermione so she’s got a lot to live up to. I think they’re quite similar in the fact they put a lot of pressure on themselves. And she just wants to do the right thing.”

J.K. Rowling definitely agrees, saying,”Rose is like her mother, but more secure, more grounded. She was born to wizards and knows her place in the world. Cherrelle plays her perfectly: bossy but deeply loveable.” Cherelle is no stranger the Harry Potter universe, as she has previously worked with Evanna Lynch, and James and Oliver Phelps.

The original seven Harry Potter novels had readers experiencing a lot of emotions. According to J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child will be no different. We’ll be reading, or for some lucky folks seeing, this one with a box of tissues close by.

6) Hogwarts fashion has changed.

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In the cast photos recently revealed, it’s clear that Hogwarts has updated its fashion sense. The robes are much more sleek. In early versions of conception, costume designer Katrina Lindsay revealed the robes were going to be a bit different.

She released this photo captioned “Early sketch for the new Hogwarts black robes with added top robes and house hoods, as part of the uniform set. I was looking for a natural visual progression with this new story plus any ways to add individuality within the uniform.”

7) It is told in two parts.

Because of the “epic nature” of Cursed Child, the team decided to put it on in two parts. To get the full story, you must see both parts. When the producers of Cursed Child first saw the story that J.K. Rowling and team had created, they suggested the play be done in two parts. Rowling and team loved the idea saying, “Yes! Can we?” The producers, proving their merit, said, “It’s Harry Potter. Anything’s possible!”Both parts will be released as a book on July 31st. It will NOT be written as a novel like the first seven books, but instead will be released in its script format. When asked why it wasn’t written as a novel, Rowling said, “I am confident that when audiences see the play they will agree that it was the only proper medium for the story.”

8) It’s not only J.K. Rowling’s.

In the latest installment of Harry Potter, Rowling teamed up with Jack Thorne and John Tiffany to create the story. All three of them wrote the story, Jack wrote the script and John is directing the play. This was a team effort all around.

Opening on July 30th, 2016, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child will be performed at the Palace Theatre in London. Though they have not made any official plans to take the show on tour yet, J.K. Rowling wants to.

All in all, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is set to be a story of epic proportions. We can’t wait to return to the magical world of Harry and his friends.